Russia will invest $3 billion in the construction of the Kerch Bridge, – AP
New York – Kyiv, January 29 (PolitNavigator, Vasily Ablyazimov) – The Russian government will invest approximately $3 billion in Crimean road infrastructure over three years, the Associated Press reports . This amount will be spent on the construction of the Kerch Bridge and the necessary infrastructure.
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"The Russian government has signed a $3 billion contract to build a bridge to Crimea. The tender was awarded to Arkady Rotenberg's construction company. Rotenberg is expected to complete the bridge by 2018 ," the agency reports.
The cost of the combined road and rail bridge cannot exceed $3 billion. The government has not released any specific details about the bridge's design or construction technology, nor has it disclosed where exactly it will cross the 5-kilometer Kerch Strait. These two factors, according to the Associated Press , will significantly impact the construction cost.
The contract was awarded to Rotenberg without the tenders that are usually mandatory for government operational projects in Russia. Rotenberg is a person included in the sanctions list of the EU and the USA, and is considered in the West as the so-called. "Putin's friend." However, this construction goes beyond ordinary tenders and government orders, as it has geopolitical significance.
Russia to Invest $3 Billion in Kerch Bridge Construction, AP